Dress ornament



June 29, 1937. H HEER 2,085,548

' DRESS ORNAMENT Filed March 2, 1957 INVENTOR.

Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to novelty jewelry, andhas particular reference to an improved dress ornament.

The main object of my invention is to provide 5 an improved ornamental device of the character 15 the latter together in back-to-back relation and thereby form a'composite brooch.

In accordance with my invention, the connector is of novel and. improved structural character, having a shallow U-shaped cross-section;

' an'd -the clip has a pivoted attachment jaw which is adapted to be snugly movable, in an endwise manner, between the arms of the U.

The features of my present improved constructionlead to the creation of a device which is eritremely compact, inexpensive to manufacture,

unusually sirnple to use, and workmanlike and attractive in appearance.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed "3 out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is an exploded rear view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, one clip'being shown in association with g a connector, the other clip being shown separated therefrom; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view 1 taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the rear end of the attachment jaw; and Figure 5 is a bottom view of theconnector by '15 itself.

Referring first to Figures 3 and 5, my invention. comprises a connector which is preferably composed of an integral blank of sheet metal or the like, bent to embody a U-shaped cross-sec- 50 tion. The body portion ll] of the connector is substantially flat and may have the openings H and [2' cut into it for the purpose of reducing its weight. Along its longitudinal edges the body portion lll merges with the U arms or flanges 55 is and l4 shown most clearly in Figure 3. The

U arm I is preferably shorter in length than the arm l3. Attached to the latter arm or flange is the brooch pin I5 which may be hinged or pivoted at one end, as shown at l6, and which preferably engages within a guard or keeper I! at the other end. The entire pin I5 and its associated parts has a total depth no greater than the depth of the connector as a whole.

For purposes presently to be described in greater detail, the body portion [0 is provided with the oppositely disposed, hooked projections I8 and IS, with the struck-up abutment walls and 2|, with the longitudinal slots 22 and 23, and. with the struck-up ribs 24 and 25.

The abutments 20 and 2| are arranged at the midportion of the connector and extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the connector.

The slots 22 and 23 are longitudinal, lying adjacent to the flanges l3 and I4, and each slot 22 is aligned with one of the slots 23.

The ribs 24 and 25 are struck-up from the U arms l3 and M, respectively, and are parallel to and spaced from the body portion ID of the connector. These ribs are arranged at the midportion of the connector, 1. e., adjacent to the 'abutments 20 and 2!, and serve to define longitudinal guiding channels designated in Figure 3 by the reference numerals 26 and 21, respectively.

In the illustrated embodiment I have shown two identical clips, and the same reference numerals areapplied to the corresponding parts in each clip. The construction of each clip is mostclearly illustrated at the right of Figures 1 and 2, and in Figure 4.

A main ornamental portion 28 is preferably provided with the flattened end edge 29. The element 28'may be of any desired contour, of any desired material, and forms no essential part of the present invention. Only the rear face of the portion 28 is shown in Figure 1, and this face may be substantially plane. In Figures 2 and 3 the outer face of each clip is also shown plane, but it will be understood that any desired configuration or contour, or other ornamentation, such as filigree, settings for jewels, etc., may be resorted to.

Of primary importance is the fact that the element 28 carries on its rear face a pivoted attachment jaw 3|], which is preferably formed of an integral blank of sheet metal, having the oppositely projecting journal portions 3| and 32 at its rear end. These journal portions are mounted in spaced, upstanding cars 33 which serve as bearings, these ears being formed on a base plate 34 which is permanently secured to the element 28 in any suitable or desired manner. I have illustratively shown the portions 35 of this base plate struck out in the form of prongs and embedded or otherwise secured to the element 28.

Braced between the ears 33 I prefer to provide the leaf spring 36 which is normally arched, as shown in Figure 4, and bears against the rear edge of the jaw 30, thereby normally urging the jaw into the collapsed condition of Figures 1 and 2.

The forward or free portion of the jaw is preferably provided with the prongs 31 which not only serve to maintain the jaw in normally spaced relation from the element 28, but also serve as gripping members when the clip is independently used as a dress ornament or the like.

This independent use of the clip is well-known per se, and need not be elaborated upon. Its use involves a pivotal movement of the jaw 30 against the action of the spring 36, whereby the ornament may be clipped or clamped to the edge of a dress or wherever the ornament is to be used.

Of primary importance, so far as the present improvements are concerned, is the fact that the jaw 38 is provided with an opening 38 in its rear portion, i. e., the portion nearer the pivot axis.

- The jaw is preferably rounded at its rear lateral sides, as indicated by the reference numeral 39, and the width of the jaw at this point is preferably substantially the same as the width at the journal portions 3| and 32.

Assuming that the clip is to be associated with the connector for the purpose of transforming theolip into a brooch element, the jaw 30 is first applied to the connector in a manner which positions the corresponding hooked projection l8 within the opening 38. The distance between the U arms 13 and Id of the connector is purposely substantially the same as the width of' the jaw 30 at the region 39. Accordingly, the jaw may be moved bodily in an endwise manner with respect to the connector. During this movement, the ears 33 engage within the corresponding slots 23, and the movement of the clip is ultimately limited by the abutment 20. During the latter portion of the movement, the journal portions 3? and 32 are snugly accommodated and guided in the guide channels 26 and 21; and when the clip is finally in its fully inserted position relative to the connector, the hook l8 engages beneath the end wall 46 of the opening 38.

The removal of the clip from the connector is equally simple. A longitudinal pulling force is exerted upon the clip, relative to the connector, and this causes the jaw to move in an endwise manner out of engagement with the connector. The hook l8 immediately releases itself from beneath the wall 453, and the clip is thereupon completely separated from the connector.

The opposing clip is applied to the connector in the same manner, except that it is moved endwise from the opposite side of the connector. When fully inserted, the ears 33 accommodate themselves within the slots 22, and the insertion movement is ultimately limited by the abutment 2|. When fully inserted, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hook 19 engages beneath the end wall of the opening 38.

The present structure is characterized by its extreme simplicity and by the ease with which the clip or clips may be associated with or separated from the connector. Furthermore, the device as a whole, when fully assembled and serving as a composite brooch, is extremely thin and compact, with no projecting parts or bulkiness.

When the elements are separated, the clips require no further adjustment or manipulation to render them immediately utilizable as independent clip ornaments; and the connector, by itself, as shown in Figure 5, is a compact, unitary element which may be conveniently laid aside until it is again needed.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. In a dress ornament of the character described, a clip usable independently and comprising a pivoted attachment jaw, and a connector adapted to be removably associated with the clip to transform the latter into a brooch element, said connector having a shallow U- shaped cross-section and said jaw being snugly movable endwise between the arms of the U, said connector having an abutment to limit the endwise movement of the jaw and having also longitudinal guide channels adjacent to said abutment for snugly accommodating and engaging the rear portion of the jaw when fully inserted.

2. In a dress ornament, the combination set forth in claim 1, said jaw having an opening in its rear portion, and said connector having a hooked projection adapted to engage beneath the end wall of said opening when the jaw is fully inserted.

3. In a dress ornament, the combination set forth in claim 1, said clip including upstanding ears serving as pivot bearings for said jaw, and said connector having elongated slots for accommodating said ears when the jaw is moved endwise into and out of fully inserted position relative to the connector.

4. In a dress ornament of the character described, a clip usable independently and comprising a pivoted attachment jaw, said jaw having oppositely projecting journals at its rear end, and a connector adapted to be removably associated with the clip to transform the latter into a brooch element, said connector having a shallow U-shaped cross-section and said jaw being snugly movable endwise between the arms of the U, said connector having longitudinal guide channels for snugly accommodating and guiding said journals during the endwise movement of the clip into and out of fully inserted position relative to the connector.

5. In a dress ornament of the character described, a clip usable independently and comprising a pivoted attachment jaw, said jaw having oppositely projecting journals at its rear end, and a connector adapted to be removably associated with the clip to transform the latter into a brooch element, said connector having a shallow U-shaped cross-section and said jaw being snugly movable endwise between the arms of the U, said connector having longitudinal guide channels for snugly accommodating and guiding said journals during the endwise movement of I the clip into and out of fully inserted position thereby form a composite brooch, said connector having a shallow U-shaped cross-section and said jaws being snugly'movable endwise between the arms ofthe U, said connector having an abutment at its center to limit the endwise movements of the jaws toward each other, said connector also having longitudinal guide channels adjacent to said abutment for snugly accommodating and guiding said journals during the endwise movements of the clips into and out of 10 fully inserted positions relative to the connector.

HARRY SHEER. 

